ICYMI: White House Office of National Drug Control Policy Director Dr. Gupta visits King County to learn more about efforts to support youth

Last week, Dr. Gupta joined King County Executive Dow Constantine, DCHS Director Leo Flor, students, a parent of an alumni, and staff for a tour of the Interagency Recovery Academy, the state’s only publicly funded recovery high school. DCHS supports behavioral health outreach and recovery activities at the Recovery Academy by contributing state and federal funding.…

King County launches new effort to prevent youth suicide, invites you to join

September is coming around the corner, and we are preparing for September Suicide Prevention Awareness Month.   King County DCHS partnered with Rescue Agency to develop a countywide Youth Suicide Prevention Campaign to help prevent youth suicide during Suicide Prevention Awareness Month in September, including a Suicide Prevention Week of Action that will take place September…

Introducing Susan McLaughlin, our new Behavioral Health and Recovery Division Director! 

King County DCHS welcomes Susan McLaughlin, Ph.D., as the new director of the Behavioral Health and Recovery Division (BHRD). Susan is a licensed clinical psychologist with more than twenty years of leadership experience in health, behavioral health, and social services as a clinician, researcher, and policy administrator.   Her first day on the job will be…

Save the Date! Join us in person on Nov. 20th for the Behavioral Health Legislative Forum.

 Save the date!  King County is excited to announce its annual Behavioral Health Legislative Forum will be held in person once again!    Join us on Monday, November 20, 2023, from 6:00 – 8:30pm at Seattle Center Exhibition Hall. The event is free and open to everyone.   The forum will include:   Remarks from King County Executive Dow Constantine.  …

The Newcomer Club: a Youth Healing Project building community for recently immigrated young people

Photo provided by the Newcomer Club. This was originally posted on the Best Starts for Kids blog. In the World School library, in one of the rare quiet corners of Capitol Hill, a group of high school students gather, cracking jokes and giggling, after the last school bell rings. They sit on a mismatch of…

What’s next: The Veterans, Seniors and Human Services Levy approved by voters

Since 2005, the Veterans, Seniors and Human Services Levy (VSHSL) has helped people and families transition to affordable housing, get job training, find employment, access emergency financial assistance, obtain domestic violence advocacy, receive behavioral health treatment, and make connections to critical services. This week, King County voters approved the VSHSL for the fourth time, reaffirming…